Q: I recently heard that there is a new syndrome affecting many people locally and worldwide  called metabolic syndrome. How do I know if I have it too?

A: Due to unhealthy eating habits, and the sedentary lifestyle that most people are leading, metabolic syndrome is very prevalent currently both in Lebanon and worldwide. Metabolic syndrome is a group of disorders that when combined together increase your risk of heart disease, stroke, and diabetes.

If you have any of the following 3 disorders, then you suffer from what is known as metabolic syndrome:

• Central obesity with body fat accumulated around your waist. This can be determined by measuring your waist circumference (>102 cm for males and >88 for females presents high risk).
• Elevated blood pressure of >130mmHg for systolic pressure (top value) or >85mmHg diastolic pressure (bottom value).
• High fasting blood glucose level (>=100mg/dl).
• Increased triglyceride level (>150mg/dl).
• Low HDL (good cholesterol) of <40mg/dl for males and <50mg/dl for females.

If it turns out that you have metabolic syndrome, make sure you consult both a physician and a dietitian.